Prior to Marvin Gay’s recording of What’s Going On, his image and sound were that of a sex symbol and
crooner for Motown Records. Marvin had a smooth voice and created a sexy image
on his previous hits.
Marvin
Gaye’s brother had been in the Viet Nam war and came home telling Marvin of the
horrors he had experienced (Edmonds, B., December 8, 2001). The political and
social unrest precipitated by the Viet Nam war and returning soldiers in the
United States, and those conversations, influenced the lyrics of What’s Going On. The album had many
protest songs and spoke out against the violence that was in the streets at the
time.
Marvin’s
quest to record What’s Going On met
with great resistance from Berry Gordy at Motown Records because it went
completely against the tried and true formula that Gordy used on all Motown
releases. When Berry Gordy heard the finished album, he said, “The worst thing
I’ve ever heard in my life” and refused to release the album (Edmonds). Marvin
said that he would not record anything else for Gordy until the album was
released so he shifted gears and spent his time training with the Detroit Lions
football team, while he waited on Gordy to release the album. Marvin finally
won, and the album was released selling over 100,000 copies in the first day
(Edmonds). Berry Gordy had a different opinion of the record after that.
Prior to this album, Motown records did not
have any protest songs. Most records were about love or relationships and did
not delve into social commentary. This album provided the first protest songs
at Motown. This album also used a Latin beat with congas and other Latin
percussion which went against the Motown sound of driving beats.
As a listener, I find Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On to be a very nice departure from the formula of
Motown. While I am not always interested in songs of social commentary, this
album, with its Latin percussion and smooth vocal, is easy on the ears while
providing a glimpse into the social situation of the time. As an industry
professional, I am impressed with the tenacity Marvin had to get this album
recorded and released and shows me that if I believe in a sound, regardless of
the current formula, I should pursue it. I am also impressed with the Latin
percussion and would love to work with that sound myself.
Hello Andrew,
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post on Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. I completely agree with you; Marvin Gaye did have a very smooth and pleasant voice. I think while I was on Wikipedia I read that he was actually mentioned on a list as one of the 100 best vocalist of all time. If I’m not mistaken it mentions that his voice covers a three octave vocal range.
As you mentioned, his brother did have a very profound impact on the creation of What’s Going On. I read that the one story that tucked at his heart the most was the story of the children who had nothing to eat, and were forced to dig in the garbage for food. Often times, Marvin’s brother would intentionally leave some food in there so that they could feed themselves.
It’s also amazing how some of the greatest, or most influential works have been met with crude opinions upon their release. That’s one parallel that I was able to find between both of the albums we learned about this week. Both of these works were initially disregarded, yet they have both proven to be among some of the most influential.
I also completely agree with you on your last comments. After learning about these two albums this week, I feel more confident that we should all trust our creativity and continue with what we feel is right, even if it sounds wrong to everyone else. Great post Andrew.
Oscar Suarez
I have read Andrew Wallace’s blog on Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. He gives a great background behind the album by including information of the albums influence. For example, the role Gaye’s brother play by influencing him with his war stories. He also notes the trails and tribulations that Gaye had to go through with Berry Gordy to get his album released, along with side quest like Gaye’s pursuit of a NFL career while he awaited his album release. It is an easy read with some vital information. Thank you for your great post on Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On!
ReplyDeleteBobby Twilley